The 2025 Cannes Film Festival is proving to be a big milestone for Filipino cinema. Not only are three Filipino-produced short films — Agapito, Ali, and Bleat! — screening at Cannes, but the Japanese-Filipino co-produced drama Renoir and director Lav Diaz’s historical epic Magellan will also be premiering at the prestigious festival.
As this year’s festival kicks off, we’re revisiting some of the standout moments when Filipino cinema captured the spotlight on the Croisette.
Maynila: Sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag (1975)
Directed by legendary Filipino filmmaker Lino Brocka, Maynila: Sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag follows Julio (Bembol Roco), a fisherman who heads to Manila in search of his girlfriend Ligaya (Hilda Koronel). However, the chaos and harsh realities of the city slowly eat away at him. A restored version of the film made its world premiere at the Classics section of the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.
Insiang (1976)
The first Filipino feature film to be presented at Cannes, Lino Brocka’s Insiang, was screened at the 1978 Cannes under the Directors’ Fortnight section. The drama follows a young girl named Insiang (Hilda Koronel) whose life becomes almost unbearable when her mother Tonya (Mona Lisa), invites her boyfriend, Dado (Ruel Vernal), to live with them.
Itim (1976)
Considered one of director Mike de Leon’s classic films, Itim made its Cannes premiere almost 50 years after it was first released. A digitally restored version of the horror drama was screened under the Classics section of the festival in 2022. Itim centers around Jun (Tommy Abuel), a photographer who decides to return to the province to visit his father, Dr. Torres (Mario Montenegro), who is recovering after becoming paralyzed in a car accident. While there, Jun becomes entangled with Teresa (Charo Santos-Concio), a young woman possessed by her sister’s spirit.
Bona (1980)
Bona, directed by Lino Brocka, tells the story of Bona (Nora Aunor), a movie-obsessed girl who drops out of high school to follow Gardo (Phillip Salvador), a bit actor in low-budget films. Bona made its world debut at the Directors’ Fortnight of the 1981 Cannes Film Festival. Its digitally restored version returned to Cannes in 2024 under the festival’s Classics section.
Bayan Ko (1984)
Bayan Ko centers around Turing (Phillip Salvador), a man who works in a printing press to support his pregnant wife Luz (Gina Alajar) and to pay off his debts. To keep his job, Turing agrees to sign a contract agreeing to not participate in any labor union; however, Turing is faced with a choice when a strike breaks out at his company. Directed by Lino Brocka, Bayan Ko competed for the Palme d’Or in 1984.
Anino (2000)
Anino is a 13-minute short that follows a poor church photographer (Ronnie Lazaro) who is taunted by an evil spirit when he steps outside of a church. Directed by Raymond Red, Anino won the 2000 Short Film Palme d’Or, becoming the first Filipino short film to do so.
Kinatay (2009)
Kinatay, directed by Brillante Mendoza, centers on criminology student Peping (Coco Martin), who takes a job to earn enough money to marry his girlfriend. Things take a turn when Peping realizes that his job involves murdering a woman. Although Mendoza had made his Cannes debut two years prior with his 2007 drama Foster Child, Kinatay earned Mendoza the 2009 Cannes Best Director Award, becoming the first Filipino film to do so.
Independencia (2009)
Independencia follows three generations of a family that chooses to flee the city and build a life in the jungle. Directed by Raya Martin and starring Sid Lucero, Tetchie Agbayani, and Alessandra De Rossi, Independencia became the first Filipino film to be screened in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes in 2009.
Death March (2013)
Directed by Adolfo Alix, Jr., Death March takes place in 1942, during the infamous Bataan Death March. Soldiers Miguel (Sid Lucero), Alex (Zanjoe Marudo), and Carlito (Jason Abalos) begin to hallucinate as they struggle to survive the abuse from their Japanese captors. Death March was screened in the 2013 Cannes’ Un Regard section.
Norte, Hangganan ng Kasaysayan (2013)
Marking director Lav Diaz’ first Cannes film premiere, Norte, Hangganan ng Kasaysayan is a psychological drama that follows three stories of tragedy. Screened at Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section in 2013, the film received critical acclaim upon its release for its testament to the slow cinema movement.
On the Job (2013)
Inspired by a real-life scandal, On the Job is a neo-noir crime thriller that follows imprisoned hit men Daniel and Tatang (Gerald Anderson and Joel Torre, respectively), who are temporarily released to work as contract killers for some of the country’s most high-ranking politicians and military officials. Directed and written by Erik Matti, On the Job was screened at the 2013 Cannes sidebar Directors’ Fortnight, where it received a standing ovation.
Ma’Rosa (2016)
Brillante Mendoza’s Ma’Rosa tells the story of Rosa (Jaclyn Jose) and Nestor (Julio Diaz), who run a sari-sari store to help support their family of three children. When the money isn’t enough to make ends meet, they turn to selling small amounts of crystal meth in their store. Ma’Rosa competed for the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 2016 and won Jaclyn Jose the festival’s award for Best Actress.
